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A thought on packing. Some folks sweat keeping everything dry. I do not. When evaluating kit look at what you are protecting. Does it really matter if your pot gets wet? Ditto the Mountain House sealed food pouch. OTOH my tea bags!!

There is a lot of kit that does not matter. Folks hang their tarp to protect them form the rain but then dry bag it to keep it dry? I think you get the picture. ;-)) Saves weight and KISS.

I am often a pack mule too. Its fun to use all your gear. Then weed some out. Then add it back and weed this out instead of that. Have to switch it up a bit. Still have not found exactly what I want. Mainly because of sites like this that keep showing me everyones gear that are must haves.

Mighty fine trip briefing there. Loved that morn' view from the hammy on your first night. Love those hill-side hangs.
You'll whittle down the pack if you keep on doing the woods walk as opposed to the pond paddle)))))
Shug

Great pictures, wonderful trip report. I feel you on the need to downsize when going from one method of carrying stuff to another; biking to a campsite is very different from hiking to it.

Buuut...before you start cutting the handle off your toothbrush and cutting the labels off of your clothing to save weight, think about the kind of backpacking you want to do. If you want to be luxurious in camp and don't intend on doing big miles (as defined by your body, not some arbitrary number), then don't sweat losing pack weight. However, if you intend on covering bigger miles, it'll definitely be worth taking a good hard look at your pack contents.

As mentioned by others, going to a single-bag system for keeping things dry is a wonderful way to drop weight (note that this is coming from a Molly Mac Pack-esque user--I use multiple sacks for organizational purposes, so...).

Another one is to look at what you used on your whole trip, what you didn't, and what you only used some of the time. Ditch the stuff you didn't use (do not include you first-aid kit in this) and think long and hard if you could do without some of the items in the "used some of the time" pile. Try leaving the pieces from that pile behind on the next trip.

Also, try to figure out what your caloric needs are going to be on-trail. For me, on short days, I plan on 2,250 to 2,750 calories. For longer days, that can go as high as ~4,000 calories, but that's for 25+ mile days where I'm in motion for 10+ hours. If you bring what you need (plus one extra meal, just in case), it'll work out a lot better in terms of weight. Try not to bring anything that's less than ~100 cal/oz.

If all you're doing is cooking bacon (note that this won't work too well with steak), try getting a couple of the shelf-stable pre-cooked packs of bacon at the grocery store and bring a piece of aluminum foil with you next time. When you're done making your coffee with the Bushbuddy, quad-fold the aluminum foil (to make it thicker) and stick it over the coals. Put the pre-cooked bacon on that; it'll heat up pretty nicely. Then, just toss the aluminum foil in the Ziplock that contains the remains of the previous night's meal. It works for me, anyway.

As mentioned, the Nalgenes are not the lightest option out there. However, they definitely do have one plus for winter camping; the ability to fill one of 'em with hot water, stick it in a sock, and put it in the hammock with you to boost your insulation's temperature rating.

I agree that a lighter insulation system will definitely ease your pack weight issues. Definitely think through what you want before dropping $200+ on it, though. What kind of temperatures and conditions you're likely to encounter, how hot/cold of a sleeper you are, and what features you're willing to pay for. Insulation, like everything else associated with lightweight/ultralight backpacking is a system, and it helps to think about it that way.

Also, I see that you're using the Hennessy Hex tarp. Is that the PU-coated version? If so, you can drop a good 1/2 pound right there by moving over to a lighter tarp, easily, and for less than $200. Just a thought...it helped me, for sure.

Great trip report and pictures! Every trip you will get a little better at it--I'm always polishing my skills and gear--one step at a time!

FYI: If you want to know what type a certain bear is, sneak up behind it and kick it. Then,
run like crazy and climb up a tree. If the bear climbs the tree and eats you, it's a black
bear. If the bear just pushes the tree over and eats you, it's a grizzly bear : )

Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me, either, just leave me alone.
--unknown

Great report and photos. I so want to go there. The orienteering aspect appeals to me so much right now. To take a map and compass and go find something that shows there but you've never seen; fun, challenge, entertainment, adventure all rolled into one activity. Pat yourself on the back buddy, you done good for a first trip.

Very nice trip report !
That first night sight was fantastic !!!!! And who does not like waterfalls the more isolated and pristine the better. Man you even had a non hiker biker like me thinking it over. Looking forward to your second trip.